Inside the hunting grounds, a new thatched cottage had been built.
It had snowed heavily last night!
The cottage was quite tall, and as the wind blew, the thick thatch on the roof was exposed.
Everything in sight was white.
The woods had put on a spotless festive gown, resembling the distant snow-capped mountains!
Beneath the thatched hut, a large charcoal stove was burning!
At this moment, Ye Tian was sitting right in front of the charcoal stove!
Su Xiaotang was squatting before him, boiling tea.
Normally, chores like this should have been done by Xique or Huamei!
However, this time out, Ye Tian had not brought them along. Besides, Su Xiaotang had accepted orders from her older sister that she must protect her brother-in-law properly!
As the younger sister of the Protector General, being made to do such menial work felt a bit demeaning, but who told her to misunderstand her brother-in-law in the first place.
Brewing tea could also be counted as making amends!
The thatched cottage did not yet have a courtyard built around it.
Just then, Ye Tian suddenly raised his head slightly and glanced into the distance.
On the snow-covered ground a hundred meters away, two women had appeared!
One was dressed all in black, draped in a black wind-cloak, her stunning beauty tinged with a cold arrogance!
The other!
Dressed all in red, draped in a red wind-cloak, with a mink fur collar around her neck, her demeanor was elegant and refined, transcending the mortal world like a holy maiden from the high mountains!
These two were naturally Black Widow and Lian Wushuang of the Fengming Cult!
Feeling the change in Ye Tian's gaze, Su Xiaotang also looked up.
With just this casual glance, Su Xiaotang actually lost herself in thought!
Too beautiful!
For some reason, a sour feeling welled up inside her heart!
I must be getting jealous on behalf of my sister!
Su Xiaotang thought to herself!
"Wushuang greets the Young Prince!"
"Blackie greets the Young Prince!"
Black Widow and Lian Wushuang glided over gracefully and arrived close by.
Ye Tian motioned for the two women to sit on the tree stumps beside the stove!
The two women adjusted their wind-cloaks and sat down one after another, subconsciously extending their hands toward the stove fire.
Those two pairs of hands were equally white and flawless!
Their slender, delicate fingers looked like jade bamboo shoots!
For an instant, Ye Tian felt an urge to reach out and touch them.
He wondered if Qiuqiu would give him a reward if he touched them!
"Let's talk business!"
There was a hint of annoyance in Su Xiaotang's voice!
She no longer wanted to linger in this kind of atmosphere!
"Alright!"
Ye Tian also knew that taking the risk today to gather everyone here was meant to draw out whoever was plotting against him with a trap!
The Imperial City was filled with houses everywhere, making it hard to predict where enemies might hide.
But here, the field of vision was wide open and clear at a glance!
Both Black Widow and Lian Wushuang looked toward Ye Tian.
Although this Young Prince had never applied himself, he came from a wealthy background after all and was the heir of the Prince's Estate!
Therefore, the two women still listened respectfully.
Besides, yesterday when Ye Tian analyzed the girls of the Fengming Cult, he had been extremely calm and displayed his wisdom!
That instantly changed their impression of him.
"Black Widow... No, Blackie..."
Ye Tian quickly corrected himself.
Since they were friends now, wasn't calling her Black Widow a bit disrespectful?
"Just call me by my nickname!"
Black Widow didn't mind.
"Alright! I plan to have Black Widow take me hostage..."
Ye Tian began laying out his plan!
Black Widow couldn't help glancing at him. I was just trying to be polite in speech, but you really aren't holding back!
"We will head straight north!"
"Why head north?"
Su Xiaotang chimed in!
Ye Tian smiled faintly. "The further north we go, the closer we get to the Northern Wasteland Palace. If my guess is correct, those who made a move against us belong to the Northern Wasteland Palace!"
"By getting closer to their territory, they will become even more uninhibited!"
"Won't that be very dangerous?"
Su Xiaotang chimed in once more!
"If you don't enter the tiger's lair, how can you catch its cubs?"
Ye Tian said nonchalantly.
Lian Wushuang and Black Widow couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect!
A frail Young Prince actually possessed the courage to venture deep into a tiger's lair.
This completely refreshed their understanding of him!
"Fine, but if something happens to you, don't blame me. If my sister blames me for it, you'll have to take the blame yourself!"
Su Xiaotang muttered under her breath!
"Rest assured! I won't blame you!"
"You need to tell your sister to follow us in secret, and we'll strive to wipe out the enemy in one fell swoop!"
Ye Tian's eyes flickered like morning stars!
In truth, he could completely rely on Qiuqiu to go alone and wipe out the Northern Wasteland Palace!
But if he did that, who would know it was him?
What he needed was to establish his own image while being accompanied by beautiful women.
To turn public opinion around!
"That's right, how is the money-making venture I told you about yesterday coming along?"
Ye Tian looked at the three women.
Lian Wushuang hurriedly said, "Many thanks to the Young Prince for giving us a chance to make a living! The Fengming Cult no longer exists, and I am ready to excel as the head of this Intelligence Sect you mentioned!"
"It's just that the name Intelligence Sect sounds too awkward; I think we should change it to the Heavenly Secrets Sect, with you as the shadowy Sect Master."
"As for the scene inside the earth temple yesterday, I have already produced projection stones and am preparing to release them onto the market at the crucial moment!"
Ye Tian nodded and said with satisfaction, "Very well. As the founding elders of the Heavenly Secrets Sect, the three of you need to divide the work. You will act as the Acting Sect Master, Black Widow will be responsible for gathering gossip and secrets from all directions and recording them with projection stones, and Xiaotang will be responsible for spreading them among high society!"
"At that time, we will set market prices based on the importance of each secret!"
"Xiaotang, remember, while the importance of a secret is crucial, the title you use when spreading it is equally important. You must think of some gimmicks that will keep people hooked!"
"For example, the title could be: Three Hundred Girls of the Fengming Cult Died for the Young Prince, and the Cult Master Accidentally Discovers Hidden Secrets Within Their Bodies!"
"Tell me, if we spread it like that, won't it go viral?"
"Will we make a fortune? That's wonderful! My sister is usually way too strict with me; from now on, I'll have financial freedom!"
Su Xiaotang excitedly threw her arms around Ye Tian!
"This is so thrilling, I love it! Brother-in-law, I never expected your brain to work so well!"
[Ding-dong: Female beauty hugging the host detected. Points rewarded!]
What?
Su Xiaotang counts too?
"Qiuqiu, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
[Host, as long as it's someone around you, such as your maid! Su Xiaotang, Black Widow, and Lian Wushuang have all essentially become your people—no, people around you!]
Is that so?
What if the Heavenly Secrets Sect expands its recruitment? I'll have three thousand disciples under my command!
Of course, all the disciples of the sect are beauties. If I hug every single one of them once a day, wouldn't my points skyrocket?!
Ye Tian squinted at Black Widow and Lian Wushuang. Seeing that they looked somewhat surprised, he hurriedly asked,
"Would the two of you like to celebrate in advance?"
The two women waved their hands.
"Young Prince, this maid wouldn't dare!"
After all, their status was right there! How could Lian Wushuang and Black Widow dare to be as uninhibited as Su Xiaotang?
Lian Wushuang gazed at Ye Tian, her beautiful eyes filled with adoration!
Unlike Black Widow, who was relatively calm, Lian Wushuang, though outwardly reserved, was someone at heart who admired intellectually powerful men.
She herself was rather scheming, so seeing Ye Tian's overflowing talent and profound strategizing made her little heart pound wildly, and she looked at him with burning eyes.
She realized that she had fallen for the Young Prince.
Could this be the prince on a white horse of her dreams? He matched the husband she had been longing for completely!
"Alright, let the operation begin!"
Ye Tian said calmly.
"The Young Prince hasn't given me my assignment yet?"
Lian Wushuang asked hastily!
"The Acting Sect Master will proceed in concealment, hiding in the dark. It would be best not to let a single fish slip through the net!"
"Understood!"
"Pay attention, make the scene big!"
With that, Ye Tian kicked the stove fire over with one foot, ran toward the snow-covered ground, and climbed straight into the carriage.
Black Widow leaped into mid-air, drew her sabre, and thrust fiercely toward the sky, shouting, "Beast King! Where are you running!"
The blade's glare pierced the firmament, emitting a piercing screech!
In an instant, half of the people in the Imperial City heard it!
A black line crossed Ye Tian's forehead. "Beasts? Am I really that bad!"
He flicked the reins with both hands, and the carriage headed north!
Behind them, Black Widow deliberately put on a massive pursuit scene.
Rumble, rumble—her sabre continuously slashed at the open ground!
Even the thatched hut they had just built was cleaved in two!
Ravines appeared across the snow!
Ye Tian quickly crossed the woods, got onto the main road, and headed in the direction of the Northern Prefecture.
The further north they went, the deeper the snow became!
The carriage traveled slower and slower, leaving two deep cart ruts behind them!
On a hillside in the distance, the scene was eerie!
Although the ambushers deliberately concealed their aura, how could they possibly evade Ye Tian's powerful spiritual sense?
They've shown up?
Feigning ignorance, Ye Tian continued whipping the horse into a gallop!
Seeing that they were approaching the foot of a mountain ahead!
Suddenly, Ye Tian pulled back on the reins, and the carriage came to a halt!
Then, he calmly looked at the thirty-odd masked figures standing on the main road!